1st Special Operations Squadron

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1st Special Operations Squadron
1st Special Operations Squadron Patch
Active	1 August 1939 - 1 May 1942 24 October 1949 - 22 July 1952 8 April 1953 - 18 January 1954 17 June 1963 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Special Operations
Part of	Air Force Special Operations Command 353d Special Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Kadena Air Base
Decorations	PUC AFOUA w/V Device RVGC w/ Palm

The 1st Special Operations Squadron (1 SOS) is part of the 353d Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan. It operates MC-130 Combat Talon II aircraft providing special operations capability. Air crews are trained in night, low-level flying using night vision goggles.

Contents 1 Mission 2 History 2.1 Operations[5] 2.2 Lineage[6] 3 Assignments[7] 4 Bases stationed[8] 5 Aircraft Operated[9] 6 References 6.1 Notes 6.2 Bibliography 7 Also See

[edit] Mission

Deliver troops and equipment into denied areas during adverse weather conditions at night by airdrop or landing.^[1]

[edit] History

The 1st conducted gunnery testing and training from, 1939–1942. It flew administrative airlift from, 1949–1952 and 1953–1954.^[2]

The 1st flew combat missions in Southeast Asia from, 8 July 1963–7 November 1972 and 15 December 1972–28 January 1973. It also trained Vietnamese Air Force pilots in counter-insurgency operations from, July 1963–November 1972.^[3]

The 1st operates the MC-130H Combat Talon II aircraft in support of joint and allied special operations forces.^[4]

[edit] Operations^[5]

• Vietnam War

[edit] Lineage^[6]

• 1st Pursuit Squadron (Single Engine) (1939)
• 1st Pursuit Squadron (1939 - 1949)
• 1st Liaison Squadron (1949 - 1963)
• 1st Air Commando Squadron, Composite (1963 - 1967)
• 1st Air Commando Squadron, Fighter (1967 - 1968)
• 1st Special Operations Squadron (1968 - Present)

[edit] Assignments^[7]

Air Corps Proving Ground Group (1939 - 1942) 12th Air Force (1949 – 1950) 14th Air Force (1950) Tactical Air Command (1950 - 1951) 9th Air Force (1951 - 1952) 479th Fighter-Bomber Wing (1953 - 1954) 34th Tactical Group (1963 - 1965) 6251st Tactical Fighter Wing (1965 - 1966)

14th Air Commando Wing (1966 - 1967) 56th Special Operations Wing (1967 - 1972) 18th Tactical Fighter Wing (1972 - 1981) 3d Tactical Fighter Wing (1981 - 1983) 2d Air Division (1983 - 1987) 23d Air Force (1987 - 1989) 353d Special Operations Group (1989 - Present)

[edit] Bases stationed^[8]

• Maxwell Field, Alabama (1939 - 1940)
• Orlando, Florida (1940 - 1941)
• Eglin Field, Florida (1941 - 1942)
• Biggs Air Force Base, Texas (1949 - 1952)
• George Air Force Base, California (1953 - 1954)
• Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam (1963 - 1966)
• Pleiku Air Base, South Vietnam (1966 - 1967)
• Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand (1967 - 1972)
• Kadena Air Base, Japan (1972 - 1981)
• Clark Air Base, Philippines (1981 - 1992)
• Kadena Air Base, Japan (1992 - Present)

[edit] Aircraft Operated^[9]

P-36 Hawk (1939 - 1942) YP-37 (1939 - 1940) O-38 (1940) B-12 (1940) C-40 Electra (1940) P-40 Warhawk (1941 - 1942) L-13 Grasshopper (1949 - 1952) C-45 Expeditor (1952) L-20 Beaver (1952, 1953 - 1954) H-19 Chickasaw (1953 - 1954)

B-26 Marauder (1963 - 1964) T-28 Trojan (1963 - 1964) U-10 Super Courier (1963 - 1966) C-47 Skytrain (1963 - 1966) RB-26 (1963 - 1964) A-1 Skyraider (1964 - 1972) FC-47 (1964 - 1965) AC-47 Spooky (1965) MC-130 Combat Talon (1972 - Present)

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

[edit] Bibliography

• USAF 1st Special Operations Squadron history
• 353d Special Operations Group fact sheet (Kadena AB)
• 353d Special Operations Group fact sheet (AFSOC)

[edit] Also See

v • d • e Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) Bases Cannon · Hurlburt Field Wings 1st · 27th Groups 352d · 353d · 720th Tactics Squadrons Operations 1st · 3d · 4th · 6th · 7th · 8th · 9th · 15th · 16th · 17th · 19th · 20th · 21st · 67th · 73d · 319th Tactics 22d · 24th · 320th · 321st other 18th Flight Test